Motor Sport podcast: Nigel Mansell

Ed Foster made the trip to Jersey and chatted to the 1992 Formula 1 World Champion about everything from his Formula Ford days to his Indycar championship via Silverstone 1987, meeting Enzo Ferrari and how he'd like to be remembered.

[@christos___5581]

Nigel Mansell, having dyed his hair, eyebrows and mustache here, is the same as he was in the 1990s. He was 61 years old then but he looked 45 years old, he remained in excellent condition even though he looked older as a young man. His tough driving and determination is a great example for me. Nigel Mansell legend, one of the best of all time. 👏🏁🏆

[@TheUlysse2000]

Mansell was the Ultimate Racer. Second of none.

[@kangarht]

been Mansell fan from 89' I was only 13 back then. He is my biggest hero I guess. Always a tear in my eye when watching him.

[@botecof1]

Incredible man, Mansell. #Respect!

[@TheUlysse2000]

just have finished his book "Staying on track". I have been a huge fan since 1986 (I am french!) .I have always consider him as the F1 best driver ever (should have won at least 4 titles without Lady UNLUCK always on her way) but I learned some stories off the track about the great man which are unbelievable. Not only he was a genius on the track but his determination, positiveness, energy in real life is quite outstanding and even "frightening" for us, simple mortal (as said Eddie Irvine). Would love to meet Nigel at NMC at Jersey one day...

[@Funne86]

Amazing book. I loved it

[@stevens2772]

Loved your comment Lois, maybe because I totally agree and feel the same.....Nigel's Driving was truely inspirational. A true Hero in every sense of the world....should have been World Champion 4 times if he just had average luck....most unluckest driver....i can't even think of the driver who had is in second place with the worst luck...i think that was also Nigel. Great great interview, unbelievable insight, very articulate in the detail, very very frank and transparent, loved how he passed on the comment on Mario, (if you dont have anything good to say...say nothing lol). Rather than trash him, ...all class. Nige just say it how it was...no spin, no bs, great integrity. What a f1 racing driver, ....I truely believe the only one who Senna truely feared.....and respected on the track.

[@megadave1197]

Fantastic post my friend and Mansell he was a great. However the best driver ever was Alain Prost what a driver he was unbelievable

[@megadave1197]

@@stevens2772 Prost was better than both Senna and Mansell. They both hated him and drove on the edge, often reckless to ty beat him but he beat them both and always without any drama . Like he only gave 70%. Best ever Alain Prost

[@Veyron640]

Nigel.. its good to have you around.. The few remaining Legends of the 90's (well, 80's as well)

[@stevens2772]

My Hero, Nigel Mansell.....what a driver. All class...thank you so much Nigel for the tremendous insight.....so articulate. what an interview. Total integrity.

[@petrovski1948]

What a fantastic driver and human being. He made us proud to be British. A true British Lion.

[@pantera29palms]

Mansell is a legend.

[@andyp2547]

11 fastest record laps in in 15 laps 😳 legend that is Mansell 👌👌

[@SOSchangedme]

I understand much more now about what happens behind the scenes of Formula 1, all thanks to Nigel Mansell.

[@scottnorman4334]

Balls of steel. Legend

[@johnhassall1782]

awsome ! Nigel has and always will be my hero !

[@shonkytonky]

So many great memories !. Watching your battles again years later I still feel that buzz. Thanks Nigel.

[@mattharte7334]

If ever a British sportsman ever deserved a knighthood then it has to be Nigel Mansell for decades of charity work as President of Youth UK and not forgetting of course his brilliant motor racing career.

[@Joe-mz6dc]

I was lucky to have walked past him in the lobby of the hotel one time in Montreal on race weekend. I stopped and shook his hand. He was the best man in F1 during those years.

[@visartist]

nigel was one of the greatest racers ever. he was incredible to watch. legitimately he could have been a 4x WDC. unique in the ways as individuals; he and senna were the definitions of bravery and skill. the italians got it spot on nicknaming him il leone. he was by many accounts a complicated and at times difficult man but his style of racing/driving was the most exciting i ever saw. it's funny but (IMO) there are a few drivers in the history of F1 who had a style that defined them. clark (smooth almost effortless speed, talent) and mansell (bravery, aggression, courage), senna ( talent, determination, ruthlessness) were the pinnacle of that type of thing. maybe hamilton and verstappen possess that today but its more difficult to see. mansell is an absolute legend!

[@gearsau]

Good to listen to this podcast . Four years after the event :-) Merry Christmas.

[@sevesellors2831]

Great driver great guy, very interesting interview huge respect for Nigel.

[@MikeGoesBadaBoom]

Nigel has broken his back quite a few times in his career. He’s a beast. Mansell, Senna, and Berger are my favorite drivers of that era

[@MalcolmTann0]

Prost was better than them all

[@MikeGoesBadaBoom]

@@MalcolmTann0 Prost wasn’t better he was connected to that Nazi Balestre.

[@SiVlog1989]

To me, his best race was Hungary 1989. It didn't look promising with him starting 12th on the grid. But with a great start on a track that was difficult to overtake, he made up 4 places on lap one, he worked his way patiently through the field to second just behind Senna. Then, while lapping Stefan Johansen late in the race, he pulled a fantastically opportunistic overtake for the lead to pass Senna and lap Johansen at the same time and would hold the lead to the end. It remains the furthest back on the grid, in dry conditions, a winner of a Hungarian Grand Prix has started

[@bodieofci5418]

Nigel = legend. My childhood hero.

[@paulmichaelfreedman8334]

Was this interview from 5 years ago? If so he's 61 there. Hell I'm 49 and I look 20 years older than Nigel. Bloody hell!

[@BitcoinBitz]

Good interview! Back when F1 had amazing Racing!!

[@kennethkilleen8758]

Nigel has incredible memory.. Part of being a racing car driver.

[@valdezapg]

I enjoyed this very much!

[@fizzer11]

Fantastic interviewer. Must be difficult not to arse kiss such a legend of Motorsport.

[@mustsilm]

Great character

[@cessna17269]

this man could drive he was a pure racer

[@davidburchfield2720]

Nigel is the best driver that ever sat in a f1 car my hero from the time I can remember great man !!!!!!

[@Jerrodswmhr]

Bravo Nigel !

[@MikeGoesBadaBoom]

Even in CART his courage showed

[@brawmedia]

One dislike. Must have been prost

[@suzuka1307r]

piquet maybe...

[@klaasklapsigaar1081]

Now it's 8, all by Nico Rosberg

[@MagicAyrtonforever]

@@klaasklapsigaar1081 Is Rosberg's dislike button's career over??

[@livingbeing1113]

Nah, Prost had the upper hand, even in the same car.

[@masterfulsky]

@@livingbeing1113 yeah thats why he stole mansells car after qualifying

[@furyofbongos]

His last comment about being able to recognize the style of a driver is a good one. As a relative new follower of F1 (2 years) I can't tell them apart at all.

[@karlzosel1464]

He was a wonderful part of F1, even with his flaws. Wonderful man.

[@franciscoribeiro6223]

What a classy guy

[@ostihpem]

I wonder who would have won in 1993 if Mansell and Prost were teammates...really tough, but I'd give Mansell the edge for his expierence with the Williams. BTW: I can see Mansell win in 1986, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 if he stays in F1 and things go well for him.

[@brendanbrown3100]

Prost wins easily. Over a season Mansell would never beat Prost.

[@ostihpem]

@@brendanbrown3100 Mansell was at his peak around that time and had experience with Williams, an english team, he had a long history with. No idea where you take your confidence to claim what you claim.

[@brendanbrown3100]

@@ostihpem Er Prost’s whole career basically is the evidence. Mansell was fast but never the complete driver Prost was. When they were at Ferrari Prost easily beat him - and that’s with a years experience at Ferrari. Just listen to Steve Nichols talk about them both. Also factor in Mansell’s paranoia. As soon as Prost speaks French or Italian to the engine guys, Mansell would sulk, quit the test session and go play golf. Heck, Mansell moaned so much he made Mario Andretti want to quit motor racing lol

[@brendanbrown3100]

Also Prost would have won the 86,87 championships EASILY if he had the Williams. The fact he won it in a lesser car shows how good he was. I think only Senna could have done the same.

[@ostihpem]

@@brendanbrown3100 Not true. Mansell was as fast as Prost at Ferrari but suffered significantly more engine failures than Prost. THAT was what caused Prost to dominate Mansell in 1990. And nobody knows if Prost did use his influence to handicap Mansell. Prost was a slippery character who‘d do politics to get an advantage. Anyway, in 1993 it is a whole different story as I wrote. It is almost certain Mansell would have beaten Prost soundly for the arguments I gave.

[@master-kq3nw]

mansell the best britain driver ever

[@Veyron640]

Nigel: 1992 Canadian accident.. (with Senna) It was a heated moment.. Nigel could you bring that back now.. tell us what happen.. there was not much footage as to what happen there, you spinning out and fist shake

[@stevejpm1]

LEGEND....‘Il Leone’

[@AmericasChoice]

Lionhearted. Can you imagine him in a Spitfire?

[@fernandosfjr]

I have to admit that Mansell is truly a phenomenon. The man managed to lose three world championships: a record in the Formula One's history.

[@ianfrench1577]

There is still a lot of mystery and intrigue surrounding Nigel and his Indycar experience. He seems to have more negative opinion than positive opinion regarding Mario Andretti which I'm quite focused on finding out why, especially when in interviews such as this, Nigel said that Mario was political and sometimes underhand. Not only that, I'm still baffled as to why he left Indycar after what I regarded to have been a great opportunity which had not been fully explored and ended earlier than anticipated. He went into Indycar with such passion and seemed to have left disheartened.

[@andrewwagner7992]

I'm curious as well, Mario and Nigel seem to have always been ice cold, and that had to have started at Lotus when Nigel was brought on as the a test driver. Mario departing and Nigel arriving, I suspect that one or the other always felt that there were politics being played, and I think they both accuse each other of that. As for the CART days, I'm sure Nigel was the last man that Mario wanted teamed with after he and son Michael were always the coddled ones and entire focal point of Newman/Haas racing since 1984 when Mario returned full time to CART. Nigel was the hottest property in motor sports, and Mario was in the winter of his career. It probably drove Andretti mad to have to play second fiddle, and watch a reigning F1 champion (that he disliked to begin with) rule the roost in a team that had belonged to him all that time. Mario says they didn't share information or have any debriefs in those seasons, and I suspect that went both ways. I'm sure Mario had little intentions of helping Mansell hit the ground running, but that's only my guess. Only those two really know the truth. I would imagine it being a lot like the animated movie Toy Story where Mario was Sheriff Woody and Nigel was Buzz Lightyear and Newman/Haas Racing was Andy.

[@JamesWarful]

what a diamond

[@FelixIsMyName]

I would love to see the Williams FW-14B being demoed.

[@stevens2772]

Inspirational. What a Legend - Nigel Mansell

[@anthonymiller3744]

still got the mo .... epic

[@rryankellyy]

I was there nerds

[@glynndraper437]

Fell asleep at the intro Turned over after the interview guy spoke

[@team3383]

Ladies & Gentlemen motorsport is dangerous :-) LOL. With all due respect to those who have died or had accidents, he is so correct. Its the same as the USA and French armies complaining that their military have casualties ....

[@kennethkilleen8758]

Love manxekk3

[@amirmanibmanampan159]

5:08 pierre gasly knows this very well

[@cessna17269]

mansell was the bravest driver

[@andronicusmaximus2355]

Nigel's comments on the 1993 Indy 500 were disappointing. Track officials did not throw the yellow flag to prevent him from winning. There was a car stopped quite precariously at the entrance to pit lane. Regardless of who was leading the race, that would have necessitated a caution. They're not going to leave a prone car on the track. He was jumped on that restart, no doubt about it. However, Emmo and Arie were both well within the rules when they did it. As the leader, Mansell sets the pace. Most drivers will decelerate between turn 3 and the short chute on a restart. This will cause the drivers behind them to have to slow down as well. Once they're all off the throttle, then the leader would accelerate suddenly and get the jump on the field heading towards the green flag. Timing is very important here. It appeared that Mansell held steady and never varied his pace enough to get a jump. As a result, Arie and Emmo were able to draft him and pass well before they entered turn 1. During the caution. Carl Haas tried to coach Masnell on what to do on the restart to get the jump. However, he was unsuccessful as Nigel did not time it correctly. Mansell was also wrong about not being able to pass before the start/finish line. Once the green flag is displayed on a restart, the race is on. He was passed legally on that restart. He was inexperienced on restarts at a super speedway. There's nothing wrong with that. I just wish he would have been able to admit that.

[@cessna17269]

glad he wasn't into polotics he was raw

[@mytinplaterailway]

Goodness, I pity anyone who has to interview this man.

[@patched1]

He beat senna,prost and the rest,the best driver ever!!!!,he's a real hero!!!!!!!!

[@dickhead5964]

Confirmed what we already suspected, Alain Prost was a pathetic excuse for human life

[@Richard-qu5vi]

Dickhead

[@MagicAyrtonforever]

Dickhead(s)

[@livingbeing1113]

Says who, Mansell? Got beat like a drum in the same car, and Nigel is well known for complaining and hype up stories to make himself look so amazing and fair. This propaganda against Prost is ridiculous, the rivarly with Senna and that idiotic movie certainly have a lot to do with it. F1 fans should know better. But facts are facts, Prost was easily the best of his era, period. Beat all of them, many in the same car too, and won by far the most, even throwing away other 2 or 3 years.

[@margaretcronin4073]

no disrespect, but this clown hardly knows who nigel mansell is. mansell is struggling to deal with this man

[@blacktoothfox677]

are you joking!? If not, you demonstrate only your own ignorance

[@megadave1197]

Love Mansell but he’s bitter. Alain Prost was incredible driver. He couldn’t beat Prost neither could Senna. They both only profited when he was out. End of

[@tomwells8093]

Mansell could beat Prost. He did many times. Problem was whenever Mansell was in a good position in 1990 his car always failed. That never happened to Prost! Also Mansell was down half a second to Prost before they even turned a corner. Mansells weight was around 20kg heavier than Prost and that was a huge factor for speed back then. So when he beat Prost that meant he was actually going much more than half a second quicker than him. Think about that for a moment! Senna was incredible but Mansell definitely could challenge him here and there. I hated Mansell when I was young and loved Senna. Says a lot these days after having seen all the old races in full that I can now see how good he actually was.

[@megadave1197]

@@tomwells8093 I always loved Mansell because he was an exciting aggressive driver. I loved Senna too for his cunning and equally aggressive driving. On the track they gave everything, one hundred percent, and excited us with the high tense drama. Meanwhile I hated Prost who won more races, more titles and beat them both on the track to the extent it grated them. All the while Prost never gave more than 70%. He just did it with an ease just doing what he needed to do to win a race or a title. No drama etc. That’s why the professor was the greatest ever because we never really saw him need to go to the limit like the other two had to do.

[@tomwells8093]

@@megadave1197 You can say whatever you want to try and upsell Prost. Who was great but that only happened a few times a season. Senna would have maybe 2 or 3 races a year which he could be beaten. Prost needed the car setup to bring out his skill. People like Senna and Mansell can hustle lesser cars. So you think Prost only drove 70%? You are laughable, wonder if Prost would agree!

[@megadave1197]

@@tomwells8093 Of course he did. There was many races where if he needed to finish third then he would. It was calculated driving. Yeah Senna and Mansell gave it there all and had to which brought excitement. Prost just gave enough. Easily the best ever considering he was robbed out of two titles and took a year out.

[@kekepiket9153]

@@tomwells8093 Should we also take into accoutn the fact that Mansell was stronger in arms than his rivals. So, extra weight gave him more power in arms, which gave him an advantage, especially when the car was on full thank. How much is that in seconds